Donald Trump and his team are « discussing a range of options » to acquire Greenland, despite European leaders rallying to support the Danish territory against fears of a US takeover. The US president claims it is in the interest of national security to « aquire » the world’s largest island, according to a White House statement shared with Reuters.
It read: « President Trump has made it well known that acquiring Greenland is a national security priority of the United States, and it’s vital to deter our adversaries in the Arctic region. The president and his team are discussing a range of options to pursue this important foreign policy goal, and of course, utilizing the U.S. military is always an option at the commander-in-chief’s disposal. »
On Sunday, Mr Trump said he « needed » Greenland – a semi-autonomous region of Denmark – and refused to rule out the use of force to take the territory.
Stephen Miller, one of Mr Trump’s aides added that it was « the formal position of the US government that Greenland should be part of the US« .
Speaking to CNN, he called the US « the power of NATO », adding: « For the US to secure the Arctic region, to protect and defend Nato and Nato interests, obviously Greenland should be part of the US. »
Mr Miller was asked whether the US would use force to gain control of Greenland, he responded: « Nobody’s going to fight the US over the future of Greenland. »
In response, six European leaders voiced their support for Denmark to maintain control of Greenland, which « belongs to its people ».
The UK, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, and Denmark said in a joint statement: « Greenland belongs to its people, and only Denmark and Greenland can decide on matters concerning their relations. »
Prime Minister of Greenland Jens-Frederik Nielsen welcomed the statement called for « respectful dialogue » over the status of his country.
He said: « The dialogue must take place with respect for the fact that Greenland’s status is rooted in international law and the principle of territorial integrity. »
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